Recalled to Life
by GrandAmdrThrawn
Summary: The punishment for a would be conquerer and a murderer is harsh in Asgard. However, will Loki get a second chance? What will happen when he's taken to a strange "college" with strange people who are not quite human?
1. Buried How Long?

**Author's Note: I do not own any of the Marval characters such as: Loki, Thor, Odin, Frigga, etc. However, all the other characters are mine. Special thanks to everyone who posts stories, you guys have inspired me to write my own stories, and even given me an idea of how to do it. Concerning this first chapter, it is by far the shortest yet, but it seemed best that I start this way, and it was all I could come up with without being to boring and meaningless. So please stick with me!**

The day started out as normal. Full of pain from yesterday. Loki moaned and contemplated rolling over. But he was to tired and his flayed back would hurt to much if he tried to move anyway. Five years ago, after his failed attempt to conquer earth had failed, Thor had taken him back to Asgard where he had been sentenced to 100 years in prison or death, whichever came first. But it went without saying that the prison guards had full leave to make his life as miserable and painful as possible. After all, torture was a known part of prison in Asgard. And the guards had perfected ways of inflicting the most amount of pain possible without killing the perpetrators although it was known to happen anyway. In the distance he heard the clanging of the prison door, heralding another day of pain and torment.

"Rise and shine Princess!" said the guard who usually attended to him.

"Or should I say, 'Rise and bleed!'" which was accompanied by a roar of laughter from him and the other guards outside, making Loki wince, dimly wondering what they had in store for him that day. The guard walked into the cell, making him shrink back into the corner with a whimper.

"What? Don't want you're breakfast? Now now, we can't let you starve to death can we? What would the king say?"

As you can probably guess, 'breakfast' was a bowl of something that you and I wouldn't want to get within ten feet of. The guard walked chuckling over towards Loki, who only tried to shrink further in the corner out of sheer fear of the man that had been instilled in him shortly after his arrival. The guard grabbed a fist full of Loki's matted hair, yanking his head back and dumping the content onto his face. Loki quickly scrambled to wipe and catch everything he could and lick it off his fingers. After all, he didn't get food more than once every two or three days, if the guards even remembered that often.

"Come on monster," the guard grumbled, dragging Loki out of the cell by his hair. "Time to play."


	2. Entrances

**Author's Note:** **Just to make a point perfectly clear: I am NOT a vampire and/or werewolf fan, they simple suit my purpose for this story. That being said, if I somehow commit sacrilege concerning them, feel free to point it out to me, though it will not necessarily be changed. All that I really know about them comes from Scooby-Doo. So please be lenient with me. :)**

Heimdall stood at the end of the Rainbow Bridge, where the Bifrost used to be, staring out into the silent, heavenly bodies to who knows where.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind him. "Good day sir." Unperturbed, Heimdall turned around. What he saw was an unusual sight to the guardian of Asgard. There were four figures that apparently appeared out of nowhere. At the center was a man just above average hight, elderly, with white hair speckled with black, and a long black cloak and white waist coat. Next to him was a young woman in a long black dress with long sleeves; she had black hair, slate gray eyes and was very pale. Behind them was a very tall young man with spiky brown hair and honey yellow eyes wearing a white button down shirt and black slacks. But next to the first man was the strangest figure of all. What appeared to be a woman was wearing a long black dress with long sleeves, just like the other woman, only she had gloves on and a long black cape with a very deep hood pulled all the way down over her face.

Heimdall made this assessment in and instant and settled on the elderly man, who seemed to be the leader. "What is your business in Asgard?" Heimdall asked.

"We have a proposition for your king that I think will greatly interest him." The man explained.

"What does it concern?" Heimdall prodded.

"It concerns his criminal son, Loki."

Heimdall cocked an eyebrow and silently studied the group for a minute. "How did you get here?"

The man gave a small smile. "Who can know of all the magic and power in the galaxy?" Heimdall gazed a moment longer at him and then nodded his head. "Ah, forgive me," the man continued, "I am Count Dracula, President of Neu Hoffnung College at your service," explained the Count, taking a bow. "This is my daughter, Morticia," the pale girl curtsied, "A student and my assistant, Matthew Savage," the tall young man took a bow, "And another student and also my assistant, Tirzah (pronounced Tear-zah) Winters," the mysterious hooded women also curtsied.

Heimdall gazed at the group for a few moments, weighing whether or not to allow them into Asgard. "Very well," he conceded, "Follow me." Then he led them down the Rainbow bridge towards the palace.


	3. A Presence Sensed

**Author's Note:** **It has become evident that my voracious reading of Sir Walter Scott's ****_Ivanhoe_**** for a school deadline has seriously affected my writing style. I actually had to catch myself multiple times from writing in a Shakespearian style, because no doubt the motif will not continue. Nevertheless, there are two words that I have picked up that like me much that have remained in this chapter. I have put a star next to them with their definitions at the bottom of the page. If you already know what they mean, don't bother looking; just keep reading!**

The strange group received many a curious stare as they made their way through the city and into the outer halls.

"Wait here," Heimdall instructed the group, "I will go inform the Allfather that you are here." He walked through the grand, golden doors to the audience chamber leaving the visitors to wait outside.

"All goes well so far," commented President Dracula to his followers, rubbing his hands together in anticipation and nervousness.

"Aye," murmured Tirzah Winter, "But . . . I sense a presence . . . one that I fear will cause us trouble."

"What kind of presence? Is it close by?" questioned Matthew Savage.

Tirzah tilted her head as if in contemplation, but before she could answer, Heimdall came back through the door.

"The king and queen will see you now," he informed them.

The audience hall was large and grand with a lofty ceiling. There were many people about the room. Some were nobles and officials, some were petitioners and lawyers who had already made their cases to the Allfather and stuck around to watch the others, and some were palace guards who's presence discouraged anyone from disagreeing with the king's decisions to much and to carry out any order he may have. All looked with great interest on the curious foreigners that approached the dais. The group knelt down before Odin and Frigga's thrones and Dracula addressed them thus:

"Your Majesties, no doubt you're faithful gatekeeper has informed you that we have an arrangement proposal for you're son Loki."

"He has: you may rise." The group got back to their feet. "Explain this, 'arrangement'," continued the Allfather.

"Verily* my lord. My college is not primarily a place to learn. Rather, it is a place for the wounded to heal. For those who are broken to mend. For those who are lost to receive counseling and guidance. A place for those who are friendless to find friends, and a place for the homeless to find a home," he said with a grim smile. "I can not speak from personal experience of the college's effectiveness, for it was principally I and a few others who founded Neu Hoffnung College. But that is why I have brought my daughter and my assistants, for if you so wish, they can tell of their own personal experiences of how they have healed and grown both mentally and spiritually, and have learned to manage their bloodthirsty tendencies that our races are prone to. We believe that there is still hope for Loki as I believe you do too." At this Frigga clasped her hands in front of her and sent a sidelong glance at her husband that the Count didn't miss.

"Therefore we prepose that you sign him over to our custody for a period of six years, unless he asks for more, with you're permission. He will be an equal with the other students, bound by the same rules and regulations as they are. You will receive a report every three months on his progress and activities from his room mates."

While all this was going on, Matt couldn't fail to notice that Tirzah became more and more agitated by increasing degrees. First her shoulders stiffened, then her fists slowly clenched, and finally her shoulders started to rise to her ears, or where they would be if they could be seen. He went over to her and gently put a hand on her arm, causing her to gasp loudly and jump nigh** a foot off the ground. Spinning around she hissed at him: "Don't _do_ that!"

"Tirzah, what is the matter?" Dracula gently asked, the disturbance luckily happening just after he had finished his monologue.

"Forgive me your majesties," Tirzah apologized to the sovereigns. "_He's_ here," she addressed to the Count, animosity clearly in her voice.

"Who's here?" Matt asked with concern. "The devil's spawn," she spat, veiled hatred in her voice as her body quivered with emotion.

The Count gave her a disapproving look at calling anyone 'the devil's spawn', but before anyone could ask her to expound further the huge doors to the audience hall were banged open with great force and in strode none other than the most feared and dreaded titan of the galaxy: Thanos.

* 'Verily' means: 'In truth, truthfully.'

** 'Nigh' means: 'Nearly, almost.'


	4. No More

**Author's Note: It seemeth that _Ivanhoe_ doth still affecteth me. Oh well. the thing is, I can't think of what my characters would say any other way. **

The most feared being in the galaxy grinned with an evil leer at the two sovereigns as he and half a score of Chitari took the place of the the Count and his group who scurried off to the side at his approach. Odin rose from his throne at Thanos' unannounced and unwelcome entrance.

"State your business Thanos." Odin demanded sharply. Just then Thor came into the room from one of the side hall, remaining off to the side but not going unnoticed by either Thanos or Odin.

Thanos gave Thor another wicked grin and then replied to the Allfather's question. "I merely come to claim what is rightfully mine."

"And what could that possible be?" questioned the king.

"Five years ago I made a deal with that Jotun runt that you call your son that he would conquer Midgaurd for me and I would allow him to rule it and supply the army with which to conquer it. He failed. The price that we agreed on for his failure was that he would be mine to do with as I see fit for the rest of his life." At this new intelligence Odin's grip on his staff tightened and Frigga became deathly pale.

"I have been to busy of late to collect my due but I do so now," Thanos continued. "So if you will kindly had over your prisoner to me, I will be on my way."

"It would seem we have come to bid for the same prize," came a voice from the sidelines. A hooded woman clad completely in black stepped forward from the crowd, despite two men attempting to make a grab at her before she could step forward.

"And who might you be woman?" inquired Thanos with amusement.

She cocked her head in silence for a moment and then replied: "I am as Rachel, weeping for her children, for they are no more."

"You speak in riddles woman, and do not answer my question."

"Aye, I am skilled at speaking riddles. But you do not tell the sovereigns the whole truth. Tell them how you tortured Loki for months, forcing him to accept your deal in the hopes that he could escape your hell. But he realized that you would not let him rule the people once he conquered them, but rather use Midguard as a jumping off place to attack Asgard or use the Midguardians as your sacrifices to Death. So instead, he allowed himself to be defeated, all the while trying to make it look like he intended to win all along."

At this speech Thanos became angry. "What lies do you speak fiend?" he demanded, taking a step towards her.

"Fiend you say? No, I am more like the vengeful furies of Hades. You say that you will do to him as you see fit? No doubt it will be horrid torture much greater than he is receiving now. But," she continued with a tilt of her head, "You are already torturing him, aren't you? Yes, I have seen it. Not only do your Chitari spies disguise themselves as guards and brutally abuse him day in and day out, but you torture him with images in his mind of people that he cares about condemning and rebuking him for everything he has done and for that which he cannot help. You have frightened and horrified him with such images day and night that he does not even remember his own name or what he has done to deserve any of it!" said Tirzah in loud voice as her whole body quivered with anger.

"You lie!" shouted Thanos.

"Do I?" Tirzah demanded, shouting back. "Do I? Let him be brought before us then. Let the Allfather test him for himself and see if he knows his own name. If he know his own brother!" she exclaimed with a pointed finger at Thor.

"You waist our time with lies witch," Thanos said, attempting to brush her off as he turned away.

"Do I?" she whirled upon Odin. "Have him brought forth your majesty and see that I speak the truth. We offer a place for him to heal from all his physical and mental wounds, and you will have back the son you once knew and loved."

"You waist words as well as hopes woman. The Jotun runt can never be redeemed. He will forever be a monster."

"Nay," came another voice from the crowd, and Matthew stepped forward. "No one is beyond hope of redemption, though you might be the only exception."

Thanos threw back his head and roared with laughter. He stopped suddenly when Odin's voice broke in.

"Let it be so." Thanos looked at him perplexed. Odin looked at a nearby guard and said to him, "Go and bring Loki from the dungeons." The guard bowed and left.

Tirazh rejoined her group that now stood out of the crowd and whispered quietly to them. In the duration that followed Thanos and Matthew seemed to be locked in a glaring match across the space between them as they waited for the guard to return with Loki.

After fifteen tense moments a slight commotion was heard in the side hall and the before mentioned guard and the head jailor came in dragging Loki by the arms, since he was unconscious. They deposited him before the dais and he fell in a heap on the floor and lay still. The jailor looked nervously at his sovereigns as he nibbled on his short nails. His prisoners usually didn't look to good, but not this bad. He couldn't understand it. The guards in charge of him said that they hadn't done much. But Loki looked like a punch would do him in. Indeed, Loki had deep cuts and scars crossing all over his body, making it look like a tightly woven web clothed him. His breath came in quick, short gasps, and after a few moments he started giving a hoarse, damp cough, which produced blood after a moment, running out of the corner of his mouth. Frigga's hand went to her mouth in horror at the state of her son, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, making the jailor even more nervous.

"What is the meaning of this?" shouted Thor at the jailor as he stormed up to him.

"I, I don't know your majesty," stuttered the jailor. "The boys in charge of him said they didn't do much but harass and throw him a few punches every now and then. But, but I never thought they'd do something like this! I, I never thought there'd be a need to check in on him or anything. I'm really sorry your majesty," mumbled the jailor with a hang of his head.

As they spoke Thanos stood there grinning like a hyena, Tirzah walked up and knelt next to Loki who was oblivious to her presence. She remained there a moment, her hand on his shoulder as if checking his pulse. She slowly stood and gazed at Loki for a moment, as if contemplating his deplorable state. Then she turned slowly to Thanos.

"Do you see what you've done you son of a demon? I hope you're satisfied. What more can you do to him son of Lucifer? Is his death what your lady wants of you, son of Sodom and Gamorrah?"

From thence Tirzah and Thanos waged war in a match of shouted insults. But no one notice that a certain plae girl in a black dress with black hair had inexplicable disappeared. Odin and Frigga watched the two shout at each other for a few moments until the aforesaid said girl appeared between them.

"Save your son from a horrible fate your majesties." she said softly to them. "Sign this paper here, and we will whisk him away far from Thanos' view. And even if he should find him, I swear to you that we will protect him with our lives. Please your majesties, do not leave him to centuries of torment in Thanos' hands."

Odin hesitated for a minute, gazing at the paper and pen that Morticia held out for him. But one look back at Thanos and his son lying on the golden floor, blood strewn about him and his decision was made. He swiftly took the pen from Morticia and signed the paper, handing it to Frigga who also signed it in haste. Morticia took back the paper and pen, carefully folding the paper into a small wad. Then, to the sovereign's shock and horror, with a purple haze surrounded her body, she turned into a bat the size of a robin that clutched the pen and paper in it's talons. Frigga gave a surprised shriek, drawing the attention of all in the room, except that of Tirzah and Thanos who were still trying to outdo each other in insults. The bat quickly flew to the Count's outstretched hand, delivering up her burden. Dracula unfolded the paper and examined the document. Satisfied, he called to Tirzah.

"Tirzah!" she heard him not." "TIRZAH!" his voice boomed through the room. She halted her tirade mid insult and turned expectantly to him. "It is finished," he informed her, though he faced Loki as he spoke. He gestured towards the fallen prince and remarked, "You can cease your charade now I think." Tirzah stood there for a moment staring at him and then. . . vanished to the surprise of all. But what happened next was the greatest shock of the century. For when the mysterious woman disappeared, Loki got to his feet as if he had only been taking a nap. He stood looking around at everyone's amazed faces with a mischievous grin on his face, and then his whole body wavered just as a mirage in the desert dissolves to reveal the truth. And likewise this mirage vanished to reveal what was truly beneath it.


	5. Cleasned, bandaged, and Soothed

When the guards had come for Loki and he started to swoon, he willingly gave into the darkness and knew no more of what happened to him. But now as he started to come to, his mind registered a couple of unusual, foreign sensations. One, he was actually warm. As in, pleasantly warm. For Loki, he was either very cold in his cell, or he was burning, literally, when his tormenters decided to make use of fire. So being pleasantly warm without pain was a sensation that he barely remembered. And that brought him to the realization of the second thing that was different: he wasn't in extreme pain. Usually when he was taken out of his cell, it was to be tortured, and when he woke up afterwards he was in more pain than before, if that was possible, which it usually was. But this time was exceedingly different from the normal. This time he only suffered from a dull act all over his body. Then, as he continued to return to consciousness, he realized he was laying on something soft, and what seemed to be a . . . what was it called? A blanket? Yes, that's right, a blanket. Anyway, there seemed to be one of those covering him too. Is he dead then? Is this Valhalla? Or, more likely, Neflheim?

Full of confusion and curiosity, Loki slowly opened his eyes. What greeted him was the interior of a small, homely house. Directly across from him was a small window with drapes, on the left of which was a wooden door. But what quickly drew his attention was the crackling fire in the wall behind his head, as he lay on a cot. After gazing at the fire for a few moments in befuddlement as his eyes adjusted to the dim light, a movement on the far side of the fireplace caught his eye. His heart nearly stopped in his chest. For what emerged from the shadows into the circle of light from the fire was an elderly female Frost Giant. She took a few steps towards him and stood in the middle of the room and gazed as him with her dark, crimson eyes. After her eyes had drank their fill of him, she heaved a slow, heavy sigh and slowly sank down into a rocking chair directly in front of the fire and across from his cot. Taking up some knitting from beside the chair she began to rock slowly. After she knitted for a few minutes with Loki staring at her in horror and fear, she said in a low, soft voice:

"You have nothing to fear from me, son of Laufey. I, least of all people, would wish to harm you," she looked back at him with eyes full of pity and sorrow. "You are safe now, child, rest and heal." She then began to hum softly as she rocked and knitted, lulling Loki into a small sense of security and peace, sensations he had not known for a long time, as the wind moaned around the tiny cottage.

As he was just beginning to drift off to sleep, the door suddenly burst open and the icy wind howled in. Loki quickly closed his eyes as the wind came rushing in but quickly opened his eyes again in alarm when the door was slammed closed. A woman in a disheveled long black cloak with a hood stood against the door. But that's not what he first noticed about her. What first drew his eyes was her skin and hair. They were a glowing bright white.

"How is he?" she asked in a concerned voice as she hurried over to him. He quickly shrank back in sudden fright at her approach, making her suddenly stop short. _"What is she? She looks like a spirit of some sort. What is she going to do to him?" _He stared fearfully into her bright blue eyes as she slowly lifted up her hands to show him that they were empty.

"Let him be for a moment Tirzah and tell me what in the name of the heavens went wrong," the frost giant said to the hooded woman. Tirzah sighed and went over and sat on the hearth. She rubbed her temples for a moment and then began her tale.

"Well we got there all right and were admitted to see the king and queen. But just as Dracula was finishing his sales pitch, in waltzes none other than Thanos himself and half a dozen of his Chitari goons." The frost giant moaned in sympathy at this news. "Of course, he wanted Loki too, so that's when I came up with a daring plan. I told the truth of what I saw happen to Loki and how Thanos was torturing his mind even as we spoke," she explained as she turned her gaze on Loki's frightened form. "So I requested that Loki be brought before us to bear witness to my testimony, which he was, even though he was unconscious. So I went over to him and touched him, as if checking his pulse or something. But what I really did was create an illusion of him where he lay, and then used my power to teleport him to you." The frost giant nodded at this point. "Then, I created an illusion of myself where I stood and then took his place on the floor. Then I started a name calling contest with Thanos as Morticia slipped behind the thrones and delivered the contract to the king and queen. As I kept the demons distracted, she persuaded them to sign the contract, which they did. Then, when the contract was safely in the Count's hands, I discontinued my illusion of myself and transformed from a likeness of Loki to my true form."

The frost giant made a startled sound at this news and quickly looked up at Tirzah from her knitting in surprise. "You showed Thanos and all of Asgard what you truly are? Did you tell them who you are too?"

"Yes, I did."

The elderly woman gazed at the younger in surprise for a few moments before returning her attention to her knitting. "Tell me everything that happened from that point; everything that was said."

Tirzah nodded and sat back against the fireplace as she resumed her tail. "Well they all just stared at me in shock for a minute, but then Thanos roared in rage when he realized what I was and fired a blast from his scepter, the energy of which I easily dissipated. I couldn't help but laugh. It seemed so funny to me that he would fire an energy blast at me, when he should have remembered from dealing with my people before that we feed off energy, so that by firing at me he only made me more powerful. I'm not sure what got into me after that to say what I did. I guess it's because I'm so tired of hiding, and I wanted him to fear me and to strike awe in the crowd. Anyway, I said, 'Did I not speak truly when I said I was like the furies of Hades, Thanos? For indeed, I am the only survivor of my race that you completely wiped out thousands of years ago. And I am not just any survivor. No, I am none other than the daughter of the king of Starlia, Zachariah, and I am more powerful than any other of my race is said to have ever been.'"

The elderly frost giant just sighed and shook her head.

"Well, Thanos replied, 'And you shall join them shortly, Starling,' as he and his Chitari escort prepared for an all-out attack on me. But then I said, 'Not today. But beware Thanos. Thank your lucky stars that I am of a religion that does not condone vengeance, otherwise, you would have been dead long ago. However, if you seek Loki or lay a finger on him, I will spare you no mercy in escorting you to the next life. Now, begone!' And with a wave of my hand a blinding light enveloped them and I transported them to the void, where they belong. And then we left shortly thereafter."

The elderly Frost Giant shook her head again. "You do realize that Asgard will not stop until they find you. You are an easy way for them to relieve their guilt in not coming to Starlia's aid when they knew of the size of the attack and after your people had even cried out for help. Aye, they will treat you like a queen, you would lack for nothing."

"Aye, but I am not meant for that kind of life. To be treated like a glass doll, a rarity. It will be some time before they find me anyway. Even Heimdall cannot penetrate the magic that shields us from prying eyes. And it is not as if they can easily take me by force. No, this is home, where I belong." At that she stood and stretched. "It's getting late, and tonight is a full moon, so I should be going. I'll return in the morning. Is there anything I can bring you?"

The Frost Giant looked over at Loki and Tirzah followed her gaze. "Bring me more bandages, oils, and salves. I think that will be all," she replied.

"Very well Elgitha, I shall bring it. Don't forget to lock up, especially tonight," Tirzah said as she walked to the door and looked back at Loki. "They will smell his blood and be all the more frenzied to get in here. Good luck and good night."

"Good evening Tirzah," replied Elgitha as she closed the door behind her and then proceeded to place large, heavy bars of steel in brackets across the door, four in all. She then moved on to place a cast iron plate over the window and put out the fire with some water and close the flew tight. She then pulled out a large, odd shotgun from behind a small dresser in the corner and pulled her rocking chair in front of Loki's cot, facing the door. This was all very bewildering to Loki, for she just quietly rocked there and stared at the door with the strange weapon lying across her lap. After a few minutes she turned and addressed him,

"Have you ever heard of 'Werewolves' before my son?" Loki gave a hesitant shake of his head. "They are humans with the blood of wild animals running through their veins," she explained. "They are able to shape shift into any kind of animal, whether it be mammal, reptile, fish, bird, or insect. But on the nights of full moons, they cannot contain their wild side, and it takes them over and they are insensible to any reason, only their wild instincts. At that time they are extremely dangerous, for they will often kill anyone in their path, even a close friend. Their species has become legendary; they received the name 'Werewolf' because more often than not they morph into wolves during full moons. So my dear, we will most certainly have a great deal of scratching, growling, and howling around here tonight, but do not let it scare you, for this house is well nigh impregnable, and this weapon," here she held up the shotgun, "Is a special taser that can bring down an elephant if necessary," she said with a grin. She then leaned back in her chair and began to rock before she advised him, "Best sleep while you can my son, before all the monsters of Hades come sniffing around."

Loki did drift off to sleep to the sound of her rocking chair gently creaking, but was soon after awakened by a nearby howl of a wolf, and just as she had predicted, something began clawing at the door and was soon joined by many others, all growling and clawing about the house. Loki shivered where he lay, and covered his ears, hoping to block out the bone chilling racket that the animals were making, and silently willed the morning to come as quickly as possible.


	6. Haunted by Ghosts in My Past

Loki slowly began to drift out of the deep sleep he had fallen into after the werewolves seemed to have lost interest in the house near dawn. He gave a contented sigh and began to think about what had happened to him over the past day. He was afraid at first that this had all been an illusion that the Chitari disguised as Asgardian guards had concocted for him as they had done in the past, but this was so different from their usual tricks that he was finally becoming convinced that it really wasn't an illusion, and that he really was out of their clutches. . . at least for now. But the Chitari couldn't possibly imagine such a beautiful creature as that hooded woman; and this woman, Elgitha, had to be the kindest Frost Giant he had ever met.

The pleasant smell of food wafted over his way and his stomach made known the fact of its emptiness insistently. He slowly open his eyes to see Elgitha leaning over a cauldron, slowly stirring it's contents. He contemplated her, with her black hair generously sprinkled with slate gray neatly braided down her back and her plain brown dress with the sleeves rolled up above her elbows. She looked over at him and caught him staring at her, but she just smiled.

"Good morning my son," she greeted him.

_"Why does she keep calling me, 'my son'?" _Loki idly wondered.

She turned back to the pot and carefully laid the large spoon on the hearth. She then pulled her rocking chair over to him and sat in it before him.

"Why do you remain silent my child when I can see so many questions in your eyes?" she questioned him.

Loki's whole body suddenly tensed up at her words and his eyes took on a distant look as he was transported to a flashback.

_"Keep your mouth shut frost runt. Do you think we want to hear your pretty lies? Make another sound and you shall regret it."_

Loki squeezed his eyes shut with a shuddered and looked back up at her fearfully, meeting her equally worried gaze.

"Loki, all the things that those fiends told you, it doesn't apply here, it's not true," she said, guessing at the root of his fears, and took one of his hands in hers. "You are safe here my child, do not fear retribution for speaking out." Loki met her eyes with a sad, silent gaze in answer.

She sighed, and after a moments hesitation leaned over and kissed his head. As she pulled back, she noticed that he had his eyes closed, as if savoring the feeling, and then he looked back up at her with a clear question in his eyes. She gave him a slightly mischievous smile before she stood and said,

"You will have to use your words if you wish to question me child. But when you conquer the fear inside, I will tell you everything you want to know."

Suddenly there was a tap on the door, causing Loki to give a sharp intake of breath and cower in sudden fright. Elgitha opened the door to find no-one standing there. But upon a small noise she looked down to see a rather large tabby cat and a capuchin monkey sitting on her door step. But she simply smiled and stood aside to let them in.

At the sight of them at the door Loki's fears quickly dissipated and he cautiously reached out a hand towards them as they made a beeline for him after Elgitha stepped aside. The capuchin trotted over and heartily shook his thumb and the cat walked up behind him and rubbed against Loki's hand with a purr in greeting. Elgitha had walked back over to the hearth and began dishing out some of the stew before she commented,

"If I am not mistaken, the cat's name is Matthew, and the monkey's name is Ajax." The monkey clapped his hands and made monkey sounds in affirmation to the conjecture. Elgitha laid two bowls on the table and the animals quickly jumped up onto it and began eating the stew. Elgitha helped Loki to carefully sit up in bed and handed him a bowl of stew also. But after seeing how he struggled to eat it without making a mess because of his unsteady hands, she insisted that she feed him much to his chagrin.

After Loki had eaten his fill of one bowl of soup, he watched in fascination as the animals consumed not one, not two, but three bowls of soup a piece. Elgitha noted his fascination with them as she walked over to the table and cleared away the dishes. As the animals contentedly continued to sit on the table and surreptitiously watch Loki, Elgitha went back to sit on the cot next to him, and taking one of his hands in hers looked earnestly into his curious eyes as she spoke to him,

"Loki, it has come to my attention that you are afraid of other people, am I not correct?" Loki only blushed and hung his head in answer. She put her arm around him at this as she continued, "It is nothing to be ashamed of; it is not surprising after what you have been through. But you must not doubt me when I say that you can trust and not be afraid of the people here. Yes?" Loki only looked back up into her eyes fearfully.

Just then they heard a horse's hooves approach rapidly, making Loki lean into Elgitha fearfully as he watched the door in nervous anticipation. A brown haired girl burst through the door followed closely by the woman from the night before, Tirzah.

"Squatchers on the south border!" the brunette exclaimed. "Come on you two, we've got to hurry. The others are already on their way over there, and we might miss all the fun!" The cat and monkey leaped off the table and followed her out the door past Tirzah. But Loki saw all three of them morph into large cats (cheetahs) before Tirzah could close the door behind them. Loki looked up at Elgitha wide-eyed, but before she could give an explanation Tirzah started talking.

"I brought everything you wanted Elgitha," Tirzah told her, setting a messenger bag down on the table. "Oils, salves, bandages, and I scrounged up two sets of clothes for him."

"Excellent," Elgitha replied. Let us change his bandages now then."

Tirzah sat down on the other side of Loki and began unwrapping the soiled bandages from his arms. After a few moments of silence, Loki's curiosity got the best of him, so he mustered up enough courage to pluck at Tirzah's sleeve to gain her attention. She looked up at him with a smile and he pointed towards the door with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"You saw that didn't you, and you want an explanation, yes?" she questioned with a grin.

"Don't tell him!" Elgitha quickly admonished. At Tirzah's quizzical look, she quickly explained with a smug look at Loki, "He must use his words if he wishes to know something."

"Ah," Tirzah replied. A mischievous smile slowly crept up her face and she leaned over to him and asked in mock concern, "Has the cat got your silver tongue?" She received only a scowl from Loki in response as Elgitha quietly chuckled.

"What was that about Squatchers on the southern border?" Elgitha asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, the perimeter sensors picked them up about five minutes ago, so the werewolves all decided to make a party of it while scaring them off. You remember, the Squatchers came up here once before because it was rural and they thought they might find some Sasquatches."

"Ah, I see," replied Elgitha.

"You see Loki, we are all different from the much larger population of people who live on this world, so in a sense, we're actually hiding here," Tirzah explained as she continued to re-bandage his wounds. "So when someone comes snooping around, we do our best to scare them away. Don't get me wrong, we are not criminals or anything, it's simply safer for us to live here, apart from the rest of the world." Loki nodded his understanding and then began to blink sleepily and rub at his eyes.

"You become weary," Elgitha commented. "Best that you rest and heal."

"Agreed," Tirzah said as they helped Loki back under the covers and affectionately tucked him in. Loki drifted off to sleep to the sound of the women's voices murmuring in the corner and a thousand questions flitting through his mind.


	7. Missing Mischief

_"This could NOT be happening _again._" _Thor thought to himself.

_ "It has been three days since the strangers had whisked Loki away to the Norns knew where. I've already lost Loki once when he fell into the void; what have I done this time to deserve to lose my little brother again?" _Thor brooded as he walked down the rainbow bridge.

_ "At first, everyone was glad that the strangers had taken Loki away. That saved the Allfather from having to deal with Thanos' demands. But it had been three days since the incident, and we have heard nothing more from the strangers. Or Loki. And I am determined that I am NOT going to lose track of my little brother again. Especially in the condition that he was in." _Thor frowned deeply at that thought.

_"No prisoner was supposed to be like that. I am aware that prison life is sometimes rough, but Loki looked like he had been tortured to within an inch of his life. One of the first things that me and my friends had done after Thanos' departure was to investigate the matter, only to find that the guards that were specifically in charge of Loki had mysteriously vanished. So it would seem that the hooded woman spoke the truth when she said that they were Chitari disguised as Asgardians. And of course, that led to the disturbing thought that the other things she said might also be true, such as when she said that Thanos was torturing his mind, too. Not just his body."_

Thor stepped to the edge of the bridge as a group of workers with a large cart squeezed by him before walking up to Heimdal who stood on the outskirts of the reconstruction of the Bifrost.

"Heimdal!" Thor called out. "Where you watching when Thanos was in the audience chamber and the strangers disappeared with Loki?"

"I was," Heimdal replied placidly.

"Did you by some good fortune see which way they went?"

"I was not able to discern that."

Thor gave an exasperated growl and began to pace back and forth. "Yet again I have lost my brother, and I don't know where in the nine realms to even begin looking for him! Where have you looked since they took him?"

"I have not looked for him at all."

"What! Why not?"

"The contract that the king and queen signed promised them a report would be delivered every three months on how he fared. Why should I search for him when we will be hearing news in a few months?"

"Contract? What contract?" Thor asked bewildered.

"While the hooded woman distracted Thanos and, it would seem, everyone else, with her scathing rebuke of him, the pale, dark haired woman quietly turned into a small creature like that of a mouse with leathery wings behind the cover of her comrades and flew at floor level behind the thrones where she turned back into her original form and convinced your parents to sign the contract."

"Oh yes, I remember the creature flying from somewhere with a paper in it's clutches. Was that it?"

"Indeed."

"And it stated that they would care for him and give us tidings every three months?"

"That was part of the agreement, yes."

"Three months," Thor moaned as he began to pace on the bridge again. "I am uncertain I can endure the suspense and worry for three months. But where would I begin looking for him even if I were to begin to look?"

"That is a simple matter of logic."

"I have never been good at logic," Thor moaned. "What do you mean?"

Heimdal and Thor both stepped to the side again as another worker scurried past before Heimdal replied,

"Were the people of the group who took him Jotuns?"

"No," Thor replied, catching on, "So they could not be on Jotunheim, for the Frost Giants allow no one but their own on their world. And in the same way they were neither Elves, Dwarves, or Fire Giants, so they cannot be on any of those worlds either," Thor reasoned out loud as he stroked his beard in thought.

"They did look somewhat like Midgardians, though they seemed to have a different sort of aura about them than other Midgardians I've met before." Thor continued. "And I have no idea what sort of creature that white haired woman with the glowing skin was. What was she anyway Heimdal?"

Sadness crept into Heimdal's eyes as he turned away to gaze out at the stars as he began the tale.

"Long ago there were a people called the Starlings who lived on a world made up almost completely of solid diamond, whose splendor far exceeding that of Asgard. The world was called Starlia, for the other realms could easily spot it because it shone brighter than a star in the night sky. For reasons unknown each Starling possessed a small amount of power not unlike magic. But each time a Starling died, that individual's power was given to another, so that over ones lifetime they would become more and more powerful. But this also made them a formidable enemy in battle, even though they were a peaceful people. Each time a soldier was killed, that soldier's power was given to another, so that the army became more and more powerful as a battle would go on and eventually become indomitable."

"But one day, long ago, when you were but a baby, Thanos and his Chitari attacked Starlia in a blitzkrieg, a lightning war, and slaughtered all the people so fast that they had no time to recover and defend themselves, even though the last to die were extremely powerful, but they were to unprepared to mount any effective counterattack. However, the princess that was here, Tirzah, who was only but an infant herself at the time, had been sent off to Elfhiem to eventually be married to the prince of their realm when she came of age. Because of this, she is the only survivor of her people, and she is the holder of the power of all the millions of her people. The Elves annulled the marriage after the tragic destruction of Starlia, for they feared the wrath of Thanos should he learn of her whereabouts and come looking for her, and raised her in secret until she went her own way, which is when I myself lost sight of her."

"And no one avenged the destruction of Starlia?" Thor asked, surprised.

"Armies from many of the realms assembled to avenge the original peacekeepers of the galaxy, but Thanos and the Chitari were nowhere to be found. We have only heard from them again since Loki led the Chitari to conquer Midgard."

"Then to Midgard I will go and seek the help of my comrades to search for my brother when the Bifrost is complete. In the meantime, please look for him Heimdal."

"I will my lord," Heimdal replied as Thor strode back down the bridge to the golden city.


End file.
